Optical lens with halo reduction

Abstract

A method is provided for use in reducing a size of halo effect in an ophthalmic lens. The method comprises: providing data indicative of a given ophthalmic lens with a first pattern providing prescribed vision improvement, processing said data indicative of the features of the first pattern and generating data indicative of a variation of at least one feature of the first pattern resulting in a second pattern which maintains said prescribed vision improvement and reduces a size of halo effect as compared to that of the lens with the first pattern.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for use in reducing a size of halo effect in an ophthalmic lens, the method comprising:
 providing data indicative of a given ophthalmic lens with a first pattern providing prescribed vision improvement, the first pattern comprising spaced apart features for a given side of the ophthalmic lens and providing varying optical properties across the first pattern, the first pattern being substantially non-diffractive with regard to wavelengths of visible light and configured to extend a depth of focus of the ophthalmic lens, the spaced apart features of the first pattern comprising at least one of spaced apart protrusions and spaced apart regions of varying refractive index, 
 processing said data indicative of the features of the first pattern and generating data indicative of a variation of at least one feature of the first pattern resulting in a second pattern for a same area of the given side of the ophthalmic lens as the first pattern which maintains said prescribed vision improvement and reduces a size of halo effect as compared to that of the ophthalmic lens with the first pattern, wherein the second pattern alters a periodicity of the first pattern; and 
 providing the ophthalmic lens with the second pattern at the given side of the ophthalmic lens. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said processing of said data indicative of the features of the first pattern comprises estimating a halo pattern of the ophthalmic lens with the first pattern. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reduction of the size of halo effect is at least 25%. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said altering of the at least one feature of the first pattern comprises at least one of the following: (i) deviation from a local period of the first pattern; (ii) deviation from a local slope of the first pattern, the local slope being either one of inner and outer slope; (iii) deviation from local maximum height of protrusions in the first pattern; (iv) deviation from local minimum height of protrusions in the first pattern; and (v) deviation from local pattern position. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said providing of the data indicative of the ophthalmic lens with the first pattern comprises using data indicative of at least a dimension of an effective aperture of the ophthalmic lens and data indicative of prescribed vision improvement, and generating data indicative of features of the first pattern to be produced on the ophthalmic lens to thereby provide said prescribed vision improvement. 
     
     
       6. An ophthalmic lens comprising a second pattern being a modification of a first pattern which is configured for providing prescribed vision improvement,
 the first pattern comprising spaced apart features for a given side of the ophthalmic lens and providing varying optical properties across the first pattern, the first pattern being substantially non-diffractive with regard to wavelengths of visible light and configured to extend a depth of focus of the ophthalmic lens, the spaced apart features of the first pattern comprising at least one of spaced apart protrusions and spaced apart regions of varying refractive index, 
 said second pattern being a modification of the first pattern for a same area of the given side of the ophthalmic lens as the first pattern such that said prescribed vision improvement is maintained and a size of halo effect is reduced as compared to that of said ophthalmic lens with the first pattern, 
 wherein the second pattern alters a periodicity of the first pattern. 
 
     
     
       7. The ophthalmic lens of  claim 6 , wherein the reduction of the size of halo effect is at least 25%. 
     
     
       8. The ophthalmic lens of  claim 6 , wherein said modification of the at least one altered feature comprises at least one of the following: (i) deviation from a local period of the first pattern; (ii) deviation from a local slope of the first pattern, the local slope being either one of inner and outer slope; (iii) deviation from local maximum height of protrusions in the first pattern; (iv) deviation from local minimum height of protrusions in the first pattern; and (v) deviation from local pattern position. 
     
     
       9. A system for use in designing an ophthalmic lens providing prescribed vision improvement for a patient, the system comprising a control unit comprising data input utility for receiving input data indicative of the patient's vision and desired vision improvement, and a processor utility for processing the input data and generating data indicative of a surface pattern to be produced on the ophthalmic lens, said processing comprising:
 analyzing the input data and generating data indicative of a first pattern for a given side of the ophthalmic lens to provide desired vision improvement, the first pattern comprising spaced apart features and providing varying optical properties across the first pattern, the first pattern being substantially non-diffractive with regard to wavelengths of visible light and configured to extend a depth of focus of the ophthalmic lens, the spaced apart features of the first pattern comprising at least one of spaced apart protrusions and spaced apart regions of varying refractive index; 
 analyzing data indicative of the ophthalmic lens having said first pattern, evaluating a size of halo effect of the ophthalmic lens with the first pattern, and generating data indicative of a change in the first pattern resulting in a second pattern for a same area of the given side of the ophthalmic lens as the first pattern which maintains said desired vision improvement and has a reduced size of halo effect as compared to that of said ophthalmic lens with the first pattern, 
 wherein the second pattern alters a periodicity of the first pattern; 
 the system including patterning equipment for providing the ophthalmic lens with the second pattern at the given side of the ophthalmic lens. 
 
     
     
       10. A system for use in designing an ophthalmic lens providing prescribed vision improvement for a patient, the system comprising a processor utility for receiving and processing input data indicative of a certain first pattern to provide desired vision improvement for the ophthalmic lens, said processing comprising:
 analyzing data indicative of the ophthalmic lens having said first pattern, the first pattern comprising spaced apart features for a given side of the ophthalmic lens that provide for varying optical properties across the first pattern, the first pattern being substantially non-diffractive with regard to wavelengths of visible light and configured to extend a depth of focus of the ophthalmic lens, the spaced apart features of the first pattern comprising at least one of spaced apart protrusions and spaced apart regions of varying refractive index, 
 evaluating a size of halo effect of the ophthalmic lens with the first pattern, and 
 generating data indicative of a change in the first pattern resulting in a second pattern for a same area of the given side of the ophthalmic lens as the first pattern which maintains said desired vision improvement and has a reduced size of halo effect as compared to that of said ophthalmic lens with the first pattern, 
 wherein the second pattern alters a periodicity of the first pattern; 
 the system including patterning equipment for providing the ophthalmic lens with the second pattern at the given side of the ophthalmic lens. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said altering of the at least one feature of the first pattern comprises producing additional features within one type of features of the first pattern, said additional features being more dense than said one type of features of the first pattern. 
     
     
       12. The ophthalmic lens of  claim 6 , wherein said modification of the at least one altered feature comprises additional features within one type of features of the first pattern, said additional features being more dense than said one type of features of the first pattern. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first pattern comprises multiple spaced apart concentric ring structures. 
     
     
       14. The ophthalmic lens of  claim 6 , wherein the first pattern comprises multiple spaced apart concentric ring structures. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first pattern comprises multiple spaced apart concentric ring structures. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first pattern comprises multiple spaced apart concentric ring structures.